35961 Zip Code Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for the zip code 35961, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

35961 is a zip code in Cherokee County, DeKalb County, and Etowah County, Alabama, which covers Leesburg CCD, Collinsville CCD, Fort Payne CCD, Fyffe CCD, Geraldine CCD, and Lookout Mountain, with a total population of 6,144 people.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in the 35961 zip code. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in 35961.

The estimated population of people living in 35961 is 6,144, with a median age of 37.2.

We can look back at data from previous years to see how the population in the 35961 area has changed over the last 5 years.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
6,144
 -7.23% -12.59%
2020
6,623
 -6.48% -
2019
7,082
+1.13%
-
2018
7,003
 -0.37% -
2017
7,029
 - -

Population of 35961 by Race and Ethnicity

How much has the race and ethnicity of the population in the 35961 zip code changed? The US Census Bureau gives us a few defined types that the population is broken down into.

Let's look at the total numbers and also the change over the last 5 years.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
67.2%
67.3%
 -0.15%
Black/African American
2.6%
3.4%
 -23.53%
Native
0.1%
0.3%
 -66.67%
Hispanic
29%
26.5%
 +9.43%
Asian
0%
0%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0.7%
 -100.00%
Two Or More Races
1.1%
1.8%
 -38.89%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for anybody studying the 35961 zip for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of 35961 by Age and Gender

We can also monitor the change of the age and gender in the 35961 zip code to track track trends in the population over time.

We can see how the population in 35961 has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 37.2 -3.63% 34.1 -7.84% 38.6 -6.76%
2020 38.6 -1.28% 37 -1.6% 41.4 +1.22%
2019 39.1 -0.76% 37.6 -0.79% 40.9 -0.24%
2018 39.4 +1.55% 37.9 +0.26% 41 +3.02%
2017 38.8 - 37.8 - 39.8 -

The median age of the 35961 zip gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population in the 35961 area, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 328 +27.56% 454 -14.63% 391 355
10 to 19 519 +5.02% 583 -28.82% 529 430
20 to 29 539 -26.72% 269 +49.83% 404 421
30 to 39 449 -11.24% 459 -24.59% 385 352
40 to 49 499 -35.28% 326 +21.75% 322 374
50 to 59 354 +27.72% 463 -14.9% 438 368
60 to 69 434 4.53% 410 -26.1% 402 300
70+ 388 -46.65% 555 -19.42% 226 447

Median Household Income

The latest median household income for the 35961 zip code is $38,714.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less.

The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for 35961.

  • Under 25
    $30,784.00
  • 25 to 44
    $44,167.00
  • 45 to 64
    $43,257.00
  • 65 and over
    $27,857.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in the 35961 zip code, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in 35961, and then dividing that number by the total number of households.

This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of 35961 is currently $59,605.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

5.37% of households in 35961 are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of 35961 against other zip codes.

  • Less than $24,999
    34.90%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    29.92%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    13.37%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    8.39%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    3.66%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.39%
  • $200,000 or more
    5.37%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in 35961 is $21,997.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of 35961 by the total population of 35961.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people living in the 35961 area, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in 35961 to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    10.70%
  • Bachelor's degree
    6.56%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    14.26%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    67.57%
  • Less than high school diploma
    0.91%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in 35961 that are over the age of 16.

Currently, the total population of the 35961 zip over the age of 16 is 4,898.

Of those people, a total of 53.80% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in 35961 is 52.60%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate. Here's how that breaks down for the 35961 zip code.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 459 29.00% 0.00%
20 to 24 years 298 72.80% 3.70%
25 to 29 years 527 82.50% 8.30%
30 to 34 years 389 66.60% 0.00%
35 to 44 years 624 79.80% 0.00%
45 to 54 years 915 55.30% 1.60%
55 to 59 years 311 56.90% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 369 64.80% 3.80%
65 to 74 years 568 29.20% 0.00%
75 years and over 438 1.60% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in 35961. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau (which we mentioned earlier in this article).

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 3,630 56.00% 2.60%
Black or African American 99 42.40% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 21 19.00% 0.00%
Asian 0 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 702 47.60% 0.00%
Two or more races 446 50.20% 3.60%
Hispanic or Latino 1,244 54.00% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 3,506 54.60% 2.80%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations for people living in the 35961 area as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in 35961 is 2,576, with median earnings of $25,355.00.

Women in 35961 are earning approximately 65.40% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 2,576 $25,355.00
Male 1,501 $29,854.00
Female 1,075 $19,514.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings for 35961 even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 283 $116,555.00
Business and Financial 28 $42,292.00
Computer and Mathematical 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 9 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 19 $0.00
Community and Social Service 30 $29,167.00
Legal 4 $0.00
Educational and Library 128 $7,417.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 2 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 126 $41,250.00
Healthcare Support 83 $23,523.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 11 $0.00
Law Enforcement 14 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 108 $6,688.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 212 $16,471.00
Personal Care and Service 75 $15,586.00
Sales 292 $26,410.00
Office and Administrative Support 239 $17,623.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 10 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 264 $30,000.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 168 $22,035.00
Production 382 $37,670.00
Transportation and Material Moving 10 $0.00

Occupations by Gender

Now we can also look at the occupations by category for 35961 when it is broken down by male and female.

This lets us see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings for 35961.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 174 $115,732.00 109 $175,496.00
Business and Financial 13 $0.00 15 $0.00
Computer and Mathematical 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 9 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 19 $0.00
Community and Social Service 3 $0.00 27 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00 4 $0.00
Educational and Library 22 $60,000.00 106 $6,958.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00 2 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 3 $0.00 123 $32,303.00
Healthcare Support 63 $4,816.00 20 $26,591.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 11 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 14 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 40 $25,776.00 68 $5,813.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 160 $18,235.00 52 $16,225.00
Personal Care and Service 0 $0.00 75 $15,586.00
Sales 118 $38,000.00 174 $25,640.00
Office and Administrative Support 52 $14,125.00 187 $18,407.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 10 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 264 $30,000.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 168 $22,035.00 0 $0.00
Production 302 $38,920.00 80 $19,744.00
Transportation and Material Moving 10 $0.00 0 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household is defined by the US Census Bureau as a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 2,049 households in 35961, with an average household size of 2.91 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 1,478 families living in the 35961 zip code with an average family size of 3.43 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each, that live in 35961:

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,141 82 255 571
Average Household Size 3.43 5.29 3.51 1.27
Total Families 1,141 82 255 0
Average Household Size 3.41 3.65 3.44 0

Poverty

Of the 1,478 families living in 35961, 19.80% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in 35961:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 2,540 housing units in 35961.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 2,049 80.67%
Vacant 491 19.33%

16.85% of the total 2,540 housing units in 35961 are rental units. This is approximately 428 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 1,481 are occupied by the owner - or 58.31% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in 35961 is $604.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in 35961 that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    140
  • Less than $500
    147
  • $500 to $999
    243
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    38
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in 35961 is $77,700.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in 35961 that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    562
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    245
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    274
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    216
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    101
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    7
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    76
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in 35961. The chart below shows the number of properties in 35961 that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    272
  • 1940 to 1949
    142
  • 1950 to 1959
    183
  • 1960 to 1969
    270
  • 1970 to 1979
    365
  • 1980 to 1989
    455
  • 1990 to 1999
    487
  • 2000 to 2009
    178
  • 2010 to 2013
    188
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in 35961 that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    66
  • 1 vehicle available
    595
  • 2 vehicles available
    785
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    603

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in 35961 get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in 35961 that commute to work in a particular way.

26 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in 35961.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    224
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    241
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    312
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    120
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    479
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    166
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    349
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    92
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    78
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    347
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    27
  • 90 or more minutes
    97

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for 35961 in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

States in 35961

If you want to see how the population and demographics of 35961 compare to other zip codes in Alabama, check out the list of all Alabama zip codes below: